James Franco on Instagram scandal: "I was a gentleman"

James Franco appeared on Howard Stern's satellite radio show Wednesday, and elaborated on his headline-making Instagram scandal last month, in which it appeared that he tried to initiate a hotel hookup with 17-year-old Scottish student, Lucy Clode, who met him at his Broadway show "Of Mice and Men" in New York City.

According to Franco, 36, he was actually "a gentleman" about the seemingly sketchy situation.

"Here's the thing ... the way that the news wants to do it, because the way flashy headlines [are] ... they make it like, I'm perusing young woman. I'm not going to high schools looking for dates. I'm leaving my work and they're coming there," he explained. "I'm seeing attractive women. And look, my fan base is like, you know, 17-year-old to 30-year old women -- that's my biggest fan base."

"I was a gentleman, I said, 'Do you have a boyfriend?,' and her response was, 'Not when you're around,'" he elaborated. "So that to me sounds like, OK, she's interested."

Though he doesn't exactly blame Clode for the scandal.

"Here's what I'll say in her defense -- I don't think she posted it knowing what was gonna happen," he said. "I was like anybody, just trying to meet somebody. It's just that my dirty s**t gets put out internationally."

Though there is one thing Franco will never own up to -- having sex with Lindsay Lohan.

"I swear on my mother's life that I've never had sex with Lindsay Lohan," he said adamantly, referring to her putting him on her alleged lists of conquests.

But he does admit that they've "made-out," and claimed she even broke into his room at the Chateau Marmont at 3 a.m.